301 - Oral Health Challenges of Foster Children Under Age 6

Purpose: The purpose of this pilot study was to determine the oral health challenges faced by foster children under the age of 6.

Methods: Foster parents of children under the age of 6, including those with kinship and traditional foster arrangements, were identified by Children’s Institute, Inc.  Two 1-hour focus groups, one in English and one in Spanish, were conducted via Zoom.  Topics of discussion included home care habits, access to dental care, and delivery of dental services.  Focus groups were transcribed, and the Spanish focus group transcript was translated into English.  Transcripts were analyzed via Dedoose.  Additionally, a survey will be distributed to foster parents identified by Children’s Institute, Inc.  The survey contains questions related to the focus group discussion topics, and the survey results will be compared to the focus group findings.

Results: Several focus group participants expressed the need for more oral health education for foster families. The parents agreed that administrative paperwork is one of the most pressing barriers to dental care access for their foster children, and the COVID-19 pandemic has made access to care even more challenging.  Regarding delivery of care, a common theme was the desire for dentists to better understand the trauma experienced by foster children.

Conclusions: The foster parents involved in the focus groups demonstrated active and engaged participation, providing substantial feedback and insight into oral health issues.